CHA-CHING! Andy Serkis Gets Paid for Planet of the Apes Sequel

The sequel to the prequel, as it were. Maybe this time they can come up with a less clunky title. How about “Rise of the Planet of the Apes Rises Again”? Just a thought.

Anyways, after Rupert Wyatt’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” prequel rose to the tune of $450 million worldwide, Fox was, understandably anxious to get a sequel up and running. In order for that to happen, though, they needed to lock in the cast.

First up is Andy Serkis, who the studio apparently thinks is more valuable than either James Franco or Freida Pinto, the human “stars” of the movie, because they’ve just handed Serkis a cool seven-figure deal to reprise his role as ape rebel leader Caesar in the upcoming sequel.

Wyatt is expected back to direct, along with screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

Serkis, meanwhile, just wrapped “The Hobbit” for director Peter Jackson, where he was also working as a second unit director. In preparations for his own directorial debut sometime in the future, no doubt. After all, it’s not like he can keep playing mo-cap characters all his life. All that hunching’s gotta be hell on the back.